Indicator device



March 24, '1931.

Ev A. NIELE INDICATOR DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1929 I Patented Mar. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES EDWARD A. NIELE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA mmoaron nnvron Application filed February 28, 1929; Serial No. 343,344.

' This invention relates to indicator devices, and more in particular to such devices intended to be used in connection with the headlights of automobiles and the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an indicator device which may be readily attached to the headlights of a vehicle and whereby the driver thereof may at all times ascertain whether or not said headlights are burning. Another object of this invention is to provide an indicator device of this character which is entirely mechanical in its operation and which may be applied to headlights operating by electricity, gas or in any other manner. Yet another object is to provide an indicating device of this character which is simple in construction, positive in operation, adjustable within practical limits to suit various sizes and types of headlights,

and which can be manufactured at relatively low cost. Additional features and advan tages of this invention will appear in the course of the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application,

and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the application of my indicator device, partly in section, to a headlight of an automobile.

Fig. 2 is front elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a slightly modified construction of the indicator device.

Referring to the drawing, the indicator device comprises a reflector element 1 formed preferably integrally with an apron 2 suitably curved at the base 3 to seat on the out side of the housing 4 of the headlight 5. The reflector 1 is suitably curved and extends a sufficient amount within the field of light rays of the headlight to reflect some of the light rays back through a tell-tale lens 6 made of any suitable transparent material, preferably of glass colored to suit.

This lens is set within an enlargement 7 provided in a sleeve-member 8 inserted through and secured to the apron 2, in any desired manner, in proper alignment with the reflector 1. The sleeve-member has at its upper inner end a substantially semi-cylindrical cut-away portion, the purpose of which is to enable a greater number of lightrays to be reflected by the reflector toward the lens 6. Furthermore, the semi-cylindrical extension 9 serves to prevent light-rays wardly to come within reach of some of the rays of light of the headlight, in the slightly inclined position shown in the drawing. Another object of inclining the indicator is to bring the axis of thelens 6 more in line with the line of vision of the driver of the automobile.

Theinterior face of the reflector element is, of course, suitably polished and covered w1th a'reflecting coating, such as nickel plating, etc., to improve its reflective properties.

The indicator device may be secured to a headlight in any desired manner, such as by riveting, soldering,'or welding; thesemethods are especially appropriate when the device is originally applied by the manufacturer of the headlight. However, when the indicator device is to be applied by individual owners of automobiles, I prefer to supply each device with a pair of flexible and easily bendable clamping strips 10, in each of which a series of holes 11 are provided for the in sertion of a clamping-bolt 12, having nuts 13, by means of which the indicator may be clamped about the housing of the headlight, in the manner shown in the drawing.

These clamping strips are made long enough to accommodate the larger sizes of headlights and, when applied to small headlights, the excess length of these strips may be easily cut away with shears, as will be readily understood.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 differs from the embodiment above described inthat the reflector element 1 is provided with lateral shields 14, which prevent any light-rays from passing vehicles to shine through the indicator lens; which also stiflens the whole reflector against deformation and to a great extent protects the inside of the lens against splash ng mud, rain, etc. V p p The indicator' device shown "in the drawing is applied to a headlight by first spreading the clamping strips 1 O, suflicient ly aparttopass over the ring 15 which holds the- -glass 160f the headlight. These clamping-strips are now bolted together tight on the headlight, and the indicator is then suitably inclined to obtain the most favorable operating conditions. o ,7

Although this indicator device is preferably mounted onthetop of'the headlight, -it is evident that, to suit local conditions, 'iti'nay be mounted in any angular position, 'without in any Way affecting its operation.

As willobe understood, as suggestedherein,

there maybe slight changes made in the construction and arrangement of the details of my invention without departing ifromrthe field and scope of the same, andI intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which the preferred 'formsonly of my invention are disclosed.

I claim: V

1.. In an indicator dev'ic'efora headlight, a reflector element made of flexible 'material and adaptedto intercept light-rays fromsaid headlight and reflect them rearwardly, an apron formed integrally with the reflector; an indicator lens positioned on the'apron in the path of the reflected rays a tubular support for said lens inserted' thro'ugh the apron and secured thereto, said' tubular support having at its upper inner end a rcutaw'ay'portion, and means to secure said device on the headlight. J a V r V 2. In an indicator'device for a head-light,-a

; reflector element adapted to intercept "light rays 'from' said head-lightfandreflect them rearwardly; an apron'sup'porting said 'reflector element; o a cylindrical tubular ele- 1 11 61113 mounted normally on'said apron 'an'indicator-lens positioned-in the.:tubular element and in the path of the reflected rays; said apron being made ofbendableinateria] for the purpose of varying the angular'rela- .tion between the horizontal axis of theheadlight and the tubular element, said tubular element having at its up'perinn-er end acutaway portion, and adjustablemeans to secure said device on a head-light.

In testimony whereoflI afix my signature EDWARD A. -NIELE. 

